Home Decor Interview:

Chris Carey from "Just a Girl"

As her blog says, Chris Carey is "just a girl."  Wife, mother, decorator... you know the drill. 

But she's being modest.  What Chris also possesses is a remarkable talent for arts and crafts, and she details her experiences for all the world to see on her wonderful blog, "Just a Girl." 

Transforming rooms and furniture pieces into works of art almost indistinguishable from their original selves, Chris is a lot more than just a girl.  She's a fantastic do-it-yourself'er, and that's why we wanted to interview her here at Decor Medley.

So get your drill and screwdriver, because there's lots of work to do!  Let's pick the brain of Chris Carey and learn more about her busy life.
 

1.  Hi Chris, thanks so much for granting us this interview.  Please tell our readers briefly about you and your “Just a Girl” blog. 

Well, I always feel like I've got a motley blog.  I haven't quite figured out a specific focus because I just post about what I think I would like to read about.  Maybe it's a craft I did over the weekend, or I arranged my furniture in a way that others would like...I guess you just never know what you're gonna get at Just a Girl!
 

2.  Some of your contemporaries, like Bella Casa and Rhoda, are bloggers we’ve interviewed before.  When did you first start your blog, and how have you liked doing it thus far?

I started my blog last spring, and I had no idea where it was going to take me.  Blogging has literally become a part of my life now.  I feel I have relationships with people, and I have obligations to them as a blogger.  Unfortunately, that obligation can weigh too heavily sometimes.  I work outside of the home, I have young children, and of course there's that dog... :)  However, the inspiration, the friendship, and the validation I've gotten from the blogworld far outweighs any pressure I feel to keep it up!

I would be lying if I said some things don't suffer--laundry being one of them. :)  I wish I had a magic rule for how it all gets juggled, but I don't. 

I will say that DVR has changed my life.  I watch very little tv, but when I do, it's just 20 minutes.  I can buzz right through those commercials!  And, yeah, I probably don't get a lot of sleep.

4.  You recently posted some photos of your “dream kitchens.”  We all have our own wish lists for kitchens; you know, a few things it absolutely MUST have (an island, pantry door, etc).  What are a few things that your dream kitchen must have if money were no object?

Oooh...I could go a little crazy with this one.  I think storage is the key to a good kitchen.  While I don't consider myself a neat freak, I do like things organized.  I sometimes fantasize about what I could do to a walk-in pantry.  The baskets, the labels, oh my!  I also think kitchens must have a common area for people to socialize.  No matter how small a kitchen is, it's the congregation spot for everyone.  I would have a very large island surrounded by stools for my guests and me to sit on while we watch my caterer cook our food.  Money is no object, right?
 

 
5.  As a school teacher, do you have any control over the decor of your classroom?  If so, how is it decorated?

Your timing is impeccable.  I have a post coming up this week about my classroom.  I have total control of the decor in there, and it has turned into my "girly" outlet.  Every. single. binder, frame, and (yes) pencil is feminine.  I always tell people I'm a scrapbooker who doesn't scrapbook.  My classroom has allowed me to explore this.  Come see my post, and you'll know what I'm talking about!

6.  You seem pretty handy around the house, which is a good thing.  When it comes to fixing things, are you in charge or does your husband take care of that?  You’ve dropped hints that he doesn’t help you clean, but is handy with do-it-yourself projects and repairs?

Umm...can I plead the 5th on this one?  I was raised in a home where my mom didn't sit back and wait for my dad to find the time to fix things, and I think I've developed that same way of thinking.  Sure, there are things I'll hold off on so I don't have to do, or some things (like plumbing) are just over my head, but I'm getting pretty handy with a sander and a drill!

7.  Like any good decorating fanatic, you love the holidays.  It’s a chance for us to really go all out.  What is your personal favorite holiday, and why?

Like most people, Christmas is up there.  However, I think the reason I enjoy decorating it is not for the actual decor, but for the feeling of warmth and familiarity that comes along with that season in general.  Outside of the personal connections, I have to say Halloween is one of my favorites.  It's so whimsical, and it allows me to go in directions I wouldn't normally go.  The spiders and ghouls are quite fun to decorate with!

8.  Chris, thanks again for sitting down with us today.  For the last question, please tell us how you first got interested in home décor.  Is it something you started to love as a kid, or did it develop later on in life?

I don't think I can say it was "in" me when I was younger, but my mom has always been my influence.  As I got a little older, I started to appreciate all the little nuances of her home.  For instance, it always smells good there, and she folds her sheets just perfectly and ties them with a ribbon.  I don't know how I could be raised in a home like that and not appreciate the influence it has had on me.  Of course, that influence has also cost me a lot of money in candles and ribbon! :).

Our sincere thanks go out to Chris for sharing her time with us and telling us all about her blog.  Please take some time to check out Just a Girl today!   



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